Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 20 April, 2018

Happy Friday to all who stop by.  I hope that it has been and will continue to be a good one.

I "got" to take Niece's dog out for a walk, a bit under 2 miles.  Two miles isn't a big deal for me, I've often, very often, as in almost daily, walked far longer.  But in those days, I wasn't leashed to a Jack Russell Terrier either, one that wanted to "sniff and scent" about every utility pole, landscape rock, road sign post, and patch of grass that a raccoon or another dog had crossed recently.  Fortunately Niece and husband are supposedly return in two days from their Florida vacation.  At which point, she can resume caring for the Beast.

Had to make a Grocery Run earlier:  SS went in earlier in the week, and the local franchisee grocery store had some real good 3-day sale items, so she sent me out to stock up.  Which I did, so we have some things in the freezer now that should last out the month, and probably longer.
Then lunch.  Then the dog walk.  Then do 3 loads of laundry in Niece's washer next door.  Once the dryer is done with all of that, then I'll start the prep stuff to replace that "safety switch".  And have a washer again.  One of those things you don't think about, until you don't have it.

Not much on the brain today.  Enjoying the "no snow" situation.  Doesn't mean we can't get snow again, no matter what the calendar says.




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Judges 7

 1  Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.

2  And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

3  Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

4  And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.

5  So he brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.

6  And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.

7  And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

8  So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.

9  And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.

10  But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host:

11  And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.

12  And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.

13  And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.

14  And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.

15  And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.

16  And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.

17  And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.

18  When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.

19  So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.

20  And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.

21  And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.

22  And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Beth–shittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abel–meholah, unto Tabbath.

23  And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites.

24  And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Beth–barah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Beth–barah and Jordan.

25  And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.

Judges 8

  
1  And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply.

2  And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi–ezer?

3  God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that

4  And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.

5  And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

6  And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?

7  And Gideon said, Therefore when the Lord hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

8  And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him.

9  And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.

10  Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.men that…: or, every one drawing a sword

11  And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure.

12  And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.

13  And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up,

14  And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men

15  And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary?

16  And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.t

17  And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.

18  Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.

19  And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the Lord liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.

20  And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.

21  Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels' necks.

22  Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.

23  And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you.

24  And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

25  And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.

26  And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks.

27  And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

28  Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.

29  And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.

30  And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.

31  And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech

32  And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abi–ezrites.

33  And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baal–berith their god.

34  And the children of Israel remembered not the Lord their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side:

35  Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.

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Psalm 80

To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim–eduth, A Psalm of Asaph.

 

1  Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.

2  Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us.

3  Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

4  O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?

5  Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.

6  Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves.

7  Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

8  Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.

9  Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land.

10  The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.

11  She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river.

12  Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?

13  The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.

14  Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine;

15  And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.

16I  t is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.

17  Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself.

18  So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.

19  Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

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John 12

  
1  Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

2  There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.

3  Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

4  Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,

5  Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

6  This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

7  Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.

8  For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

9  Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.

10  But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;

11  Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

12  On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

13  Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

14  And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,

15  Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.

16  These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.

17  The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record.

18  For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.

19  The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.

20  And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:

21  The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.

22  Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.

23  And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

25  He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

29  The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.

30  Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.

31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

33  This he said, signifying what death he should die.

34  The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?

35  Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

37  But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:

38  That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?

39  Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,

40  He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

41  These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.

42  Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:

43  For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

44  Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.

45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.

46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

49  For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

50  And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.